february 2018

“In February there is everything to hope for and nothing to regret….While it is February one can taste the full joys of anticipation. Spring stands at the gate with her finger on the latch. “ –

Patience Strong

“Reading the morning newspaper is the realist’s morning prayer. One orients one’s attitude toward the world either by God or by what the world is. The former gives as much security as the latter, in that one knows how one stands. ”

– Hegel

Readers are asked to add more insights into these events, and also provide interesting information or critiques that are not included here.

15/2/18:

Tunisia, Tunis: football supporters clash with cops (no confrontations with fans of opposing team reported)Video here. Exactly a month before, on 15th January, over 1000 of the same team supporters “gathered Monday evening in the working class Bab Souika neighborhood of Tunis. Chibani said the crowd attacked a government building with stones and bottles, before police fired back with tear gas.” ( here ). This, during the brief national uprising against the state there. In other words, I imagine that these fans had a clear anti-cop, anti-state hatred that motivated them far more than football.

Turkey, Izmir: attack on governing party collaborator and state-owned gym in revenge for Afrin massacreWhilst this communiqué implies a nationalist mentality – “We call on all Kurdish youths to take action against the fascist Turkish state everywhere. No young person should wait for a leader, because every Kurdish youth is a leader by nature” – as if Kurds are “naturally” anarchist – it also implies a rejection of leadership and an element of autonomy from the political rackets, though admittedly without any explicit critique of Ocalan and the leadership fetishism he enjoys. At the same time, whilst not ignoring the specific history of Kurdish oppression, this Kurdish identity is hardly tactical, since any effective opposition to the Turkish ruling class must obviously also be attractive to rebels amongst the non-Kurdish working class.

Bahrain: clashes in several different parts of the country on 7th anniversary of uprising that began during the Arab Spring I don’t normally put up stuff about Bahrain, mainly because there ahave been clashes almost every day for 7 years (for similar reasons I don’t put up stuff about Palestine or Kashmir – which have confrontations with the state almost every day, though the duration and periods of time are different from those of Bahrain). This is not to minimise the proletarian nature of much of these clashes, even though undoubtedly there are also political factions at work here. See also this “Bahrain continues to be the scene of anti-regime protests on an almost daily basis, as people in the Persian Gulf kingdom gear up to mark the seventh anniversary of their uprising on February 14…In March 2011, the Bahraini regime asked Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf Arab countries to assist with the crackdown on the popular protests.The Bahraini regime, backed by forces from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan, began a violent, deadly crackdown on protests, which has led to thousands of arrests, scores of deaths, and systematic torture of detainees.”

Ethiopia, Oromia State: clashes continue; 17 killed“The social media-driven market strike was called to demand the immediate and unconditional release of jailed Oromo political prisoners. In dozens of towns across Oromia, tens of thousands took to the streets … Other demands include making Afaan Oromo the federal language; calls for an end to rampant impunity for federal security forces and justice for the victims of its ongoing abuses. In some localities, activists blocked roads, stopped cars, and burned tires. Arrests and crackdown were reported in Burayu, a town outside of Addis Ababa, and in Jimma zone….Businesses remained closed on Tuesday for a second day amid reports of a complete halt in nonessential travel and transportation in and out of Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.” Added 17/2/18: It seems that, after years of horrible massacres in response to revolts, that the Ethiopian ruling class needs the image of reform to ensure that, “for things to remain the same, everything must change” (The Leopard). See this.

Colombia, Meta: 7 riot cops hurt on 2nd day of disturbances and sabotage of oil wells“…seven members of the Mobile Anti-Riot Squad (Esmad) … were wounded on Monday when the NPR truck in which they were mobilized was attacked with stones by men on a motorcycle. The stones hit the windshield and the driver lost control of the vehicle and hit a post beside the track….Since this weekend public order has been disturbed in Chichimene and in the municipality of Castilla La Nueva, oil towns of Meta, amid protests from communities and some oil workers who demand better wages and jobs for the population of the region…., in Castilla La Nueva a policeman was shot and wounded in the middle of the riots….vandals entered the pumping plant, destroyed equipment, cut off power and prevented the pumping of crude oil. In addition, they attacked the fire engine when it went to attend an emergency…[there was] a confrontation between hooded people and the police when unknown subjects entered the station of Chichimene, Castilla and CPO9 fields and Castilla 1 and Castilla 2 stations and vandalised, destroyed and set fire to equipment….They sabotaged a cable of 115 volts in the Castilla Disposition Center where they knocked out the electricity for the field and that is why we had to close down the Castilla 1 and Castilla 2 station due to the collapse of electricity – those fields produce 115,000 barrels in Campo Castilla and 71,500 barrels per day in Chichimene and 6,500 barrels in the CPO9 field…. losses are calculated at 60,000 million pesos“

Senegal, Velingara (border with Guinea-Bissau): 2 killed following customs officers’ illegal demand for money off Muslim pilgrims “…the incident happened at the Nianao border crossing. At this post, there was a mixed patrol of the police and customs, who had trouble with the pilgrims. According to Bissau-Guinean accounts, “the Senegalese have set up a payment system to cross the border. They asked us to pay 2500 FCFA so as to cross”. Having refused to obey this unwritten payment order, which they consider “illegal”, the Bissau-Guinean pilgrims…came to blows with the Senegalese police. “Pursued by a furious crowd throwing stones at them, the customs officers first entrenched themselves in their offices. Overcome by the violence of the stone throwing, they came out to face them…. So as to restore order the Senegalese forces made use of their weapons, leaving one of the pilgrims on the ground, shot….In retaliation, Bissau-Guineans reportedly killed a Senegalese driver who entered their territory.“

Venezuela, Delta Amacuro: riots and looting after cops disperse fly pitchers“Shops were destroyed and several people were injured….from the first hours of the morning there was a tense situation between a group of officials of the Bolivarian National Guard and fly pitchers in the Municipal Market. … the riots started around nine in the morning, after the GNB troops tried to evict a group of resellers. This generated a heavy altercation between “bachaqueros” and troops, which went on to attempts at looting by those who were there. The action forced the GNB to disperse the crowd by throwing tear gas…In a second encounter, the military officials fired more gases and pellets, causing a stampede and the closure of most of the premises in downtown Tucipita. …After two o’clock in the afternoon, the situation intensified, as the security forces could not control the riots causing damage to the facades of the Governor’s headquarters and some banks….groups of enraged people stayed in the streets destroying everything in their path. Glass from broken vehicles and entrances of destroyed abandoned premises …”

US, Philadelphia: predictable post Super Bowl victory riot, with some funny aspects“Police in Philadelphia had been preparing for the possibility of riots following the Super Bowl, including putting hydraulic fluid on light poles in an attempt to keep fans from scaling them. …Video from after the AFC Championship Game showed fans managing to scale the 25-foot poles despite police greasing them with Crisco. Ahead of the Super Bowl, police tried to use a more powerful lubricant in the hopes of keeping fans from scaling the structures. But reports from after the Super Bowl noted that the fans who streamed out onto Broad Street after the Super Bowl had started to cause property damage. The Philadelphia riot grew from there, with reports from police scanners that light poles had been taken down …As the celebrations spread, police reported that some were throwing bottles at police officers.” More here“…windows were smashed out of some buildings. Police received at least one report of looting at a gas station. Fans also took down several light poles around town, injuring a few people” And here“…fans tipped over a car outside of a hotel and …a group of looters had broken into a convenience store screaming, “Everything is free,” while grabbing merchandise.”…Pointing out the damage inflicted upon a local Macy’s, Benitez revealed that the department store’s doors had been “completely smashed” and that there was “glass everywhere” from broken windows.”

Iran: large protests in 6 towns & cities“…Sanandaj (west): people gathered in Enghelab (revolution) Square, and Azadi (freedom) square and chanted “death to dictator.” They clashed with State Security Force (SSF) and set an SSF kiosk on fire. Authorities tried to disrupt the Internet connection in city. Clashes have continued, and the regime has brought in water cannons to disperse the crowd… Kermanshah (west): Protest erupted at Freedom square, with chants of “death to Khamenei”, “death to dictator.” A woman started the protest. “Death to Khamenei” was chanted non-stop. Plain clothed security forces have begun arresting protesters. Anti-riot forces arrested 7 protesters, but people charged at them, and the anti-riot forces retreated and released the protesters. Several protesters were arrested.”

France, Essonne: high school students clash with cops after blockading school in opposition to intensified selection “Garbage cans and gates were installed in front of the main entrance to prevent students from going in. …Shortly after nine o’clock, tension mounted rapidly with the police officers who had just arrived to clear the entrance. Helmeted and shielded, they scattered the blockaders. An 18-year-old student was arrested in front of many comrades…“We were gathered there, peacefully, without any provocation on our part, we even calmed those who were a bit too angry, and we were violently charged, and gassed too…The police were pelted with projectiles …”

“By 1918/9, Pankhurst recognised that it was pointless, and in fact reactionary, to campaign for suffrage amidst a world, proletarian revolutionary wave. At a time when the very existence of parliaments and nation-states was put into question by the revolutionary working-class, whether or not the working-class, or women, or middle-class women, should have the right to vote in elections to capitalist parliaments had simply lost all relevance. Parliaments were no longer a site of meaningful, political contestation for the proletariat, the future was to be found in the form of territorial soviets (workers’ councils).”

Feb 11 2018 23:23

Due to the Tchekist Administration of the ill named, Libertarian Communism Dot [B]org, I and many other comrades have no way of commenting on articles of interest placed on their rag of a website. Therefore, through the kind auspices of Sam Fanto I am able to place my musings here.

I travelled back from the metropolis yesterday evening in my mobile coffin. I passed the megalith of the Cowley autoworks, “Oxford”, on my way. These thoughts are influenced by the sight of this huge factory.

As Kraftwerk rightly says, it was the monstrosity of the Great World slaughter that finally put to rest any hope the proletariat had in parliamentary means to end its exploitation. and achieve its emancipation. This led it to put its hopes in workers’ councils.

Yet the sight of the vast coffin factory leads me to think that even if the workers of Cowley had the wherewithal to form a council at that establishment, what purpose could it serve as the product of their labour is nowt more than a weapon of our own destruction?

I want freedom of the press for myself, a proletarian, a member of the party for fift[y] years… and not abroad but inside…, facing danger and arrest… experience in tsarist prisons,…hunger strikes, beatings, and escapes…

It may be advisable for the sake of “an attack on dominant social relations” as you put it — although how a social relationship can be attacked is beyond us — to place a disclaimer on this section (News of Opposition) along the lines that these news stories that you glean from the press are a mere drop in the ocean of the great class struggle that has enveloped (with the exception of the UK in your expatriate mindset) the globe for centuries past.

From our perspective your ostensible opposition to the opportunism of petty leftist groups such as the British libcom.org and Aufheben appears as merely a front for your own posturing as revolutionary.

If put downs without content, context, the slightest fragment of accuracy or explanation are somehow “revolutionary” then I am certainly not into such a posture. Your comment is probably satisfying to yourselves, but I doubt anybody else would understand what the hell you were on about.

I doubt anyone else will read it Sam, if we’re honest. No, it was not satisfying in the least. You aggravated me and that was my response. Don’t forget that you are one of the chosen few still at liberty to post comments on the Tchekists’ website forum. New registrations are vetted more strictly than the Stasi vetted the football pools.

If you want your reader/s to have some context, here it is. The libcom collective has been accused of and is seen by many as closet Leninists. To counter this one of its idiots dragged up some quote by Lenin written during the civil war in Russia. The idiot produced a salacious headline to attract attention of would be readers. One such reader pointed out the possible error in translation, not as an apology for Lenin’s action but merely as a point of reasoning. In jumped the usual shock troops of the British Libertarian left from libcom to try their oft tried tactic of character assassination whenever their holy grail is shown to be flawed. That’s the long and the short of it.

In place of a counter argument …, most here [and there] have resorted to name calling and belittling, which honestly just betrays their own insecurity in their argument. I’m not a ‘Leninist’ in any way.

Anyway Sam, back to business. Got over my hissy fit and I gave the site a plug on the Socialism Subreddit.

Long live the dictatorship of the proletariat and I’m so happy to see that our people up in Oromia are standing firm. I find the issue of the ever changing flag of Ethiopia a telling one. See this Wikipedia entry:

It appears that the quotation marks I used above have removed the quote I intended to post. It is now below.

‘
In 2009, the Parliament of Ethiopia passed Proclamation 654/2009 (The Federal Flag Proclamation), which prohibited firstly amongst 23 other provisions “use [of] the Flag without its Emblem”, as well as “to deface the Flag by writing or displaying sings, [sic] symbols, emblems or picture [sic]”, or “to prepare or use the Flag without the proper order of its colors and size or its Emblem.”[11] While most offences were punishable by a fine of “3000 birr or rigorous imprisonment up to one year,” the first offense, mandating the usage of the emblem, received an increased penalty of “5000 birr or rigorous imprisonment up to one year and six months.”[11] This replaced the 1996 Flag Proclamation, which made no mention of offenses or penalties.[2]’

Do any readers know anything about the origins of the name of present day Ethiopia? Received wisdom is that Ethiopia is derived from Greek:

The Greek name Αἰθιοπία (from Αἰθίοψ, Aithiops, ‘an Ethiopian’) is a compound word, derived from the two Greek words, from αἴθω + ὤψ (aitho “I burn” + ops “face”). … However, the Greek formation may be a folk etymology for the Ancient Egyptian term athtiu-abu, which means ‘robbers of hearts’.

I had the following dialogue with an honorary Ethiopian:

Seamus: I have had a thought this new morning. Correct me if I’m wrong but until the last century the nation state of Ethiopia was called Abyssinia, which I believe is a Latinized rendition of Habesha (a name that referred to a conglomeration of the northern tribes of present day Ethiopia — Amhara, Tigri…).

On medieval European maps, Ethiopia marks the region referred to as “Black Africa” (another imposed misnomer). For some reason the state of Abyssinia/Habesh decided to co-opt the name Ethiopia, an odd decision considering it’s racist, patronising connotations meaning as it does, “burn face”.

Addis: Ethiopia isnt literal translation of ‘burned faces even if at one time the Greeks called Ethiopians this. There were Ethiopian Negus going back named Itiopis and why would Ethiopians even refer to themself as such?

Looking at old maps of the area it seems what we now call Afrika was called Ethiopia and the sea on west Africa was called the Ethiopian Sea. When the colonialists chopped up Afrika they gained control except for the capital which then held the name Ethiopia.

Even at one time Memnon the Ethiopian was ruler over Greece and many well known Ethiopians like Aesop.

So, in my opinion Ethiopia is not meaning burned faces.
Anyway. Have a bless day. One Love